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Sean McNulty, Sean O'Brien, Harry McNulty, and Luke Carty. Sean McNulty/Twitter

Irish quartet help the LA Giltinis to Major League Rugby title

Luke Carty, Sean McNulty, Sean O’Brien, and Harry McNulty all featured this season.

IRISH TRIO SEAN McNulty, Luke Carty, and Sean O’Brien all featured as the LA Giltinis claimed victory in the Major League Rugby [MLR] final in their first season in the North American competition.

The Giltinis beat Rugby ATL 31-17 in last night’s decider, with former Wallaby back Matt Giteau as influential as he has been all season.

McNulty, Carty, and O’Brien featured off the bench for Darren Coleman’s side at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Former Connacht academy out-half Carty recently made his debut for the US and then started against his native Ireland last month, having only moved to the States earlier this year.

23-year-old Carty, the younger brother of Connacht out-half Jack, qualifies for the Eagles through his New York-born grandmother.

Hooker McNulty is a former Leinster academy player who played for Ireland up to U20 level. The 26-year-old is also US-qualified having spent much of his youth living in the States. He first moved back over from Ireland to join the New England Free Jacks in 2019 before shifting to the Giltinis ahead of this season.

His older brother, Harry, was not involved in yesterday’s final having just arrived back in the US after competing in the Olympics with the Ireland 7s team, but played in the back row for the Giltinis this season.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old back row Sean O’Brien joined the LA side from the Leinster academy on a short-term contract in June. A native of the US, he played for the Ireland U20s last year and has been picking up match experience with the Giltinis in recent times. O’Brien made his senior Leinster debut earlier this year.

The beaten Rugby ATL squad included Enniscorthy RFC and Kilkenny College product Ross Deacon, another native of the US, and former Leinster U19, St Michael’s College, and Lansdowne back Mark O’Keeffe.

Deacon scored a late try for the Atlanta side but it wasn’t enough to reel in the Giltinis, whose team also included Wallabies legend Adam Ashley-Cooper and Canadian wing DTH van der Merwe.

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Jan 31st 2025, 6:26 AM

    Really tight between IRL and FRA but I’m going for IRL based on home advantage in the head to head. GS to boot.

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    Mute cian nolan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 8:32 AM

    Ireland. Slam. Sláinte.

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    Mute jajosullivan@aol.com
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    Jan 31st 2025, 8:11 AM

    A brief dip in form in the Autumn after 4 years of constant top quality rugby Inc summer Lions, NZ, SA tours but everyone is now fit and playing well. Competition for position with options left out of the squad if required for injuries. Nothing is certain but we are in a great position.

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    Mute Carmine Lorenzo
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:38 AM

    France.

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    Mute Noel Lynn
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    Jan 31st 2025, 11:02 AM

    @Carmine Lorenzo: Oh u of little faith

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    Mute Carmine Lorenzo
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    Jan 31st 2025, 3:29 PM

    @Noel Lynn: Just being realistic. They have Dupont and Ntamack back. We were poor in the autumn. Faz isn’t here… Wouldn’t be surprised if we were 3rd or 4th. But hopefully I’m wrong!

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    Mute Seanie
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    Jan 31st 2025, 3:45 PM

    @Carmine Lorenzo: ray ridge is effecting you lol but ya i hope your wrong too but france will be fave’s

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:28 AM

    Ireland, but I would have preferred Andy in the driving seat!!

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    Mute Luke mc govern
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    Jan 31st 2025, 12:13 PM

    With Dupont and Ntamack together again I just think they’ll be too strong.

    I don’t Ireland will change things up too much with Farrell out and it feels like other teams have managed to counter our attack to some extent. Maybe the new direct around kick chaser will help though as I feel Ireland are good under the auld box kick

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Jan 31st 2025, 1:06 PM

    @Luke mc govern: we’ve beaten them before with Dupont and N’tamak. Yes they’ll be much stronger than the team we trashed in Marseille but I still just about fancy us.

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    Mute Seanie
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    Jan 31st 2025, 3:47 PM

    @Luke mc govern: Yes ireland need to try few different things if they cant break teams down like kicking more

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    Mute Seanie
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    Jan 31st 2025, 3:44 PM

    Ireland

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